PAN Thinks

In this episode we explore the thought of ethicist and philosopher Mary Midgley. Midgley was a key scholar of common-sense morality, and the most important ethicist of animals in the last century. Her ideas have enduring significance for people, animals and nature today.GUEST and HostGreg McElwain is Professor of Philosophy and Religion at the College of Idaho. He is a leading expert on the thought of Mary Midgley, and author of Mary Midgley: An Introduction (Bloomsbury, 2020), https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/mary-midgley-9781350047563/. His forthcoming book is Mary Midgley on What Matters: Conversations on Science, Ethics, and Nature (Bloomsbury, 2026).William S. Lynn, PhD (Bill) is the founder of PAN Works and host of the PAN Thinks podcast. https://panworks.io/team/name/william-lynn/Production is by Gary Sheer. https://garysheerphotography.com/FROM THIS EPISODEClare Mac Cumhaill and Rachael Wiseman, Metaphysical Animals:https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/617233/metaphysical-animals-by-clare-mac-cumhaill-and-rachael-wiseman/Benjamin Lipscomb, The Women Are Up to Something:https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-women-are-up-to-something-9780197541074?cc=us&lang=en&Notes from a Biscuit Tin:https://www.notesfromabiscuittin.com/Greg McElwain’s work:https://gregorysmcelwain.academia.edu/Nat Dyer’s Obituary of Mary Midgleyhttps://philosophynow.org/issues/140/Mary_Midgley_1919-2018***PAN Works is an ethics think tank for animals. To help power our mission, visit https://panworks.io/LISTEN on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pan-thinks/id1870689174VIEW on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@panworksio

Dr. Neimeic shares her research on the factors influencing public support of carnivore protection ballot initiatives. Using moral foundations theory and data from in-person interviews, she demonstrates the arguments and messaging swaying voters on carnivore protection issues.HOSTS & GUESTSBernard Travessari, MS (Bernie) is the host for this episode. He is Director of Operations & Programs for the Society for Conservation Biology North America. https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardotraversari/William S. Lynn, PhD (Bill) is the founder of PAN Works and host of the PAN Thinks podcast. https://panworks.io/team/name/william-lynn/Rebecca Neimeic, PhD (Becky) is Co-Director of the Animal-Human Policy Center at Colorado State University. https://sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu/animalhumanpolicy/Production is by Gary Sheer. https://garysheerphotography.com/FROM THIS EPISODENiemiec, R., Kogan, L., Jones, M. S., Santiago-Ávila, F. J., Seacor, R., Mertens, A., & Crooks, K. (2026). Widespread public support and pluralistic ignorance associated with United States Animal Protection Policy. Human-Animal Interactions, 14:1, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1079/hai.2026.0001This pod is part of a joint series on ethics in conservation undertaken by PAN Works and the Society for Conservation Biology North America.PAN Works is an ethics think tank for animals. To help power our mission, visit https://panworks.io/LISTEN on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pan-thinks/id1870689174VIEW on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@panworksio

An introduction to the meaning of ethics, the place of intrinsic value and moral community in ethical understanding, and the distinction between descriptive and normative ethics in public policy.HOSTS & GUESTSBernard Travessari, MS (Bernie) is the host for this episode. He is Director of Operations & Programs for the Society for Conservation Biology North America. https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardotraversari/William S. Lynn, PhD (Bill) is the founder of PAN Works and host of the PAN Thinks podcast. https://panworks.io/team/name/william-lynn/Production is by Gary Sheer. https://garysheerphotography.com/FROM THIS EPISODELynn, W. S., Baker, L., Santiago-Ávila, F. J., & Stewart, K. L. (2023). Ethics, Wellbeing and Wild Lives. In A. H. Fine, M. Mueller, Z. Ng, J. M. Peralta, & A. Beck (Eds.), The Routledge International Handbook on Human-Animal Interactions, Interventions and Anthrozoology (pp. 438-452). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781032153346This pod is part of a joint series on ethics in conservation undertaken by PAN Works and the Society for Conservation Biology North AmericaPAN Works is an ethics think tank for animals. To help power our mission, visit https://panworks.io/LISTEN on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pan-thinks/id1870689174VIEW on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@panworksio